Brush holder and scraper



P 1-2, 1967 A. CORTINA 3,341,061

BRUSH HOLDER AND SCRAPER Filed Oct. 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 4 34 ANTHONY CORT/NA M mNEY Sept. 12, 1967 A. CORTINA BRUSH HOLDER AND SCRAPER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 24, 1965 INVENTOR CORT/NA ANTHONY BY M United States Patent Ofiice 3,341.,0'6 l Patented Sept. 12, 1967 3,341,061 BRUSH HOLDER AND SCRAPER Anthony Cortina, 56 Huntington St., New London, Conn. 06320 Filed Oct. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 504,694 12 Claims. (Cl. 220-90) The present invention is an improvement in several aspects over that described in my copending application, Ser. No. 341,678, filed Jan. 31, 1964, now Patent No. 3,260,401, issued July 12, 1966, of which the present invention is a continuation-in-part.

My invention relates to a brush scraper and holder for a brush such as a paint brush.

My brush scraper is adapted to remove excess paint from the bristles to prevent dripping while the brush is being used, and to support the brush over an open paint or solvent container so that it may be suspended within the solvent or over the paint container Where paint drippings will return to the body of the paint, or in an alternate position, to the side of the container. In one aspect, the present invention provides a centrally reinforced scraper blade preferably of angular metal, i.e. angle iron, construction having greater strength and rigidity. The scraper blade may be of narrower beam, width thereby and the blade may have its scraper edge disposed and supported vertically or horizontally.

My brush scraper, moreover, has improved fastening means cooperating with the grooved annular cover sealing edge of a typical paint container, for quick, firm and more secure fastening. The improved fastening means hereof tends to cooperate with either or both the underside or outside of the cover receiving annular groove of the paint pail whereby there is less loss of paint or paint contamination of the scraper.

The present scraper construction provides improved means for supporting a brush holder within or outside of the container, preferably which may be pivotally mounted to the firmly secured scraper body, allowing movement of the brush handle supported between alternate support poistions above the open container or in a position outside of the container, each brush support being cooperative with the scraper blade for support thereby. In modified construction the brush may be supported entirely outside of the paint container. The brush handle support is flexibly adjustable to support variously sized brush handles.

Other improvements, objects and advantages will be inherent in the description and illustrations comprising the several drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an angle iron brush scraper;

FIG. 2 shows the mounting of the scraper of FIG. 1 to the open groove top of a paint pail;

FIG. 3 shows the scraper of FIG. 1 combined with means for pivotally supporting a brush holder;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the holder of FIG. 3 illustrating the mounting thereof to an open paint container;

FIG. 5 is a detail illustrating an auxiliary swiveling fastening means for supply of ultimate rigidity to the scraper mounted to the top of the can;

FIG. 6 illustrates a scraper blade having its scraper surface lying horizontally in the open top of the container;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the container mounted blade of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 illustrates a pivoted or swiveled arm for a modified central fastening of the blade.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an angle iron bar 10 is provided having a horizontal flange 12 and a vertical flange of which the upper edge 14 of the vertical flange of the horizontal flange 12 are turned down at an oblique angle to the plane of the edge 14 to provide a shoulder adapted to bear against the arcuate flange surface 20 of the container which forms, in a further bend, a conventional cover retaining groove 22 supported by an apron 24 from the vertical wall 26 of a conventional paint pail, bucket or the like. The groove 22 held inward of container wall 26 by apron 24 is adapted to frictionally receive a mating depression depending from a conventional cover element for the container (not shown). As shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, the downturned flanges 16 and 18 are also turned obliquely forward to bear resiliently against the inner arcuate wall flange 20 of the container. The vertical scraper blade flange 14, however, extends beyond the turned down portions 16 and 18 continuing as shoulder portions 28 and 30 at opposite ends of the blade which lie upon the upper rim of the flange 20 in position of use. The turned down wing 18 at one end (FIG. 1) may be a narrower portion of flange 12 longitudinally split to have an unbent horizontal tip 2811 also lying in the plane of the flange 12 for additional horizontal stability of the assembly when mounted on the container edge 20.

A bracing arm 32 extends from the center in the horizontal plane of the horizontal flange 12, and is normal thereto, intercepting the farthest arcuate edge of the paint container in line with the center of the horizontal flange 12. The arm 32 has its outer end turned down as a resilient lip 34 and is sized to bear and clamp resiliently about the outer upper edge 40 of the pail, the edge being curved inward slightly at 38 (FIGS. 1 and 5) to resiliently bear as a clamp over the rim 40 of the pail and secure the scraper assembly in the position on the container as shown in FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 7.-In that position, the clamping lip 34 resiliently biases the angle iron blade 14 toward an edge of the pail, both flanges 16 and 18 hearing against the wall 20, to form a firm three-point tripod-like support between the two vertical flanges 16 and 18 and the resilient clamping lip 34, securing the scraper blade firmly thereby upon the upper surface of the container.

The scraper blade surface 14 extends and continues at one end into a raised bracketing plate element 44, which as shown in FIG. 1 is curved at 43 to provide scraping means for the edge of the brush, as described in my parent application. In a one form of brush holder, illustrated in FIG. 3 the bracketing plate element 44 has secured near its upper end, and pivoted thereto by a pivot or loose bolt 46, a brush supporting or clamping arm 48. The outer end of holder 48 is bent into a pair of loops 50 and 52 one reversed with respect to the other in an S-curve each loop of which can apply resilient clamping support about a brush handle 54 for clamping one or two brushes in the neck of each loop. The outer end of the clamping arm 48, after completing the loop 52, may be extended to a point 56 for insertion into one of several holes 58 bored in the brush handle for purposes of securing and supporting the brush handle brush supporting through one of the holes 58 upon the pin 56 at any selected height by choosing a properly disposed brush supporting hole 58 upon which the brush is secured. For purposes of pivotally supporting the brush support arm 48, the bracket 44 has a pair of upper shoulders 60 cut obliquely down from the summit location of the pivot ;serves as a brush scraping edge. The outer ends 16 and 18 g 46. The shoulders 60 extend laterally of the pivot 46. The shoulders 60 extend laterally of the pivot a suflicient distance to protrude beyond the length of a bent inner arm portion 62 of the support 48 so that the shoulder 60 will intercept the bend of the arm portion 62 and thus allow the support 48 to lie upon and be held in a desirable horizontal supporting position.

The shoulders 60 extend obliquely downward from both sides so that the support 48 may be swung to alternate positions about the pivot 46 from one oblique shoulder portion supporting the brushes over the paint container, as shown, to an alternate, dotted-line position, at which point the brush-gripping loops 50 and 52 are disposed and may support the brushes outside of the container. In this manner the brush support means will support the brushes with handles gripped or depending either outside the bucket or in the bucket and over the paint supply for recovering drippings at a selected height.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the central bracing arm 32, after fastening the lip 34 about the upper edge 40 of the bucket, has provided a swivel clamp 64 of bent wire or rod formed of two arms converging together on the inner end to a loop shaped to lie upon the arm 32 for swiveling support, each arm being curved in a plane parallel one to the other and normal to the loop, and each terminating as a curved prong or claw at an end 66. In this position, as shown in FIG. 5, the swivel 64 tightly grips the bottom side of groove 22. In clamping position claws or prongs 66 are curved to snap around the depending walls 20 of the groove 22 and lie under the apron 24 at the top edge of the bucket, with the loop lying upon and bearing downward on the bracing arm 32. In this position the claws 66 grip the bottom side of groove walls 20 bearing down on bracing arm 32 at the intermediate swivel loop with afirm locking etfect, applied and removed by snapping the slightly resilient curvedclaws around the groove walls. The claws 66 may be joined together by a connecting bar, not shown, such bar lying behind the groove 22 in clamping position as shown for the claws 66 in FIG. 5.

To retain the swivel 64 in pivoted position upon the arm 32, a small detent 68 comprising a resilient finger is cut up as a sliver from the bracing arm 32, raised and slightly curved and pressed down upon the inner loop of the swivel 64, retaining it as a swiveling clamp in the position shown while allowing pivotal movement for clamping.

As shown in FIG. 4, with the clamping lip 34 bearing over the outer rim 40 of the container wall, and the swiveling clamp fastened, the paint scraper will be quite rigidly secured to the open top of the container. Simultaneously the brush holder 48 will have both brush-securing loops 50 and 52 firmly supported over the open portion of the container or alternatively at the side of the container.

Great advantages are present in this manner of securing the scraper edge and brush support. The scraper by its angle iron construction is stronger and may be of small, narrow dimensions, narrower in width and thickness of both vertical and horizontal flanges. The scraper is secured more firmly and is more easily mounted, snapped into secure position as well as easily removed from the open top of the container, with no danger of falling otf in use, and with less danger of paint smearing over the hands of the operator when engaging and disengaging the scraper.

While the angle iron supported as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 is preferred, because the scraper edge 14 is supported vertically, it is also possible to use the angle iron construction supporting the scraper edge horizontally, with the bracing flange of the angle disposed vertically but similarly serving to reinforce the scraper edge. Such construction is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the supporting bar 32 extending vertically to and clamping over the outer edge of the container having the same construction as described above.

As shown in FIG. 6, the bar 32 is merely bent up at its integral connecting point .31 from the center of the vertical flange 12. In alternate construction, as shown in FIG. 7, the arm 32 is integral with the scraper flange 14. However, inasmuch as the scraper flange 14 is supported horizontally over the open paint pail for purposes of providing and supporting a brush holder, the outer edge 70 is turned up into a vertical wall-like bracket 72. again down-turned at the top to a horizontal brush-supporting element 74. Element 74 has a brush handle-retaining hook, or arcuate cut-away portion 76, allowing the two outer handle-retaining jaws or fingers 78 to remain for support of the brush. In this modification the brush-supporting means extends outwardly of the pail. The mounting of this modification upon the pail is shown in FIG. 7. As further shown in FIG. 7, only one jaw 78a may be cut in the surface 74, a second jaw piece 78 being mounted adjustably with a slot 77 and bolt 79, fixed therein to adjust the clearance between the jaws 78 and 78a to accommodate variously sized brush handles for support therebetween.

The fixed bar 32 may be replaced by a pivoted bar 104 used for central bracing in another modified form as shown in FIG. 8. That bar 104 has a loop or claw end 106 and may be pivotally inserted in a slot 108 cut in the horizontal flange 12 of an angle iron, thus providing the angle iron construction as shown in FIGS. 1 through 5 with a modified pivotally secured central support 104 serving to brace and lock the central portion of the angle type of scraper blade using, as desired, a turned down fastening lip 34 as in FIG. 1. The advantage of this construction is that the claw element 106 in slot 108 allows its removal from the angle iron assembly as desired for easy packaging and cleaning when the unit is knocked down for packaging, shipment or storage.

As thus described, a scraper blade and brush support is provided having several improved elements of construction. Great rigidity is available in the clamping means for fixing a single scraper blade securely across the open top of the container and securely supporting a brush holder over the open container or outside of it, as desired. That brush holder may be pivotally attached for alternate use. The scraper blade is firmly braced through its center by an integral bracing arm 32 which fastens by a down-turned fastening lip clamping over the upper edge of the container whereby the paint often seeping 'into the groove 20 of the container does not tend to coat the fastening means, and the brush supporting and scraping unit is readily applied and removed from its secure fastening upon the container. Further bracing means upon the arm 32 is available in a swivel clamping for mounting with two claw-like fingers beneath the groove of the paint container, tightly securing in a single snap-fastening operation the entire scraper and holder assembly upon the open container. In the several figures described, great flexibility to mount and remove, as well as secure fastening, is achieved, while in some of the modifications substantial strength is also available while allowing knock-down construction for packaging and shipment.

Certain modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and, accordingly, it is intended that the description given be regarded as illustrative and not limiting except as defined in the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A brush scraping and support element comprising an angle iron adapted for open angle mounting as a chord across the grooved edge of an open cylindrical container with the vertical flange of said angle iron presenting a brush scraping edge in mounted position, said brush scraping edge continuing into an arcuately curved portion lylng in the plane of said vertical flange and disposed near one side, said arcuate portion being adapted for a scraping element at an end of the brush whereby both a side and end of the brush may be simultaneously scraped, and the horizontal flange, integral with said vertical flange, being adapted to lie in the open top plane of said container, said angle iron having its ends dimensioned and shaped and having a bracing arm extending substantially centrally from the scraper blade, to firmly grip the arcuate edge of said container for firm support.

2. The scraper blade and brush support device as defined in claim 1 wherein the scraper blade element is mounted vertically with the scraper edge coinciding with flange lies horizontally integral with the lower edge of I said vertical flange as an angle iron bar, the downturned ends of said flange being turned in a plane slightly inward to each other to approximately lie along and bear against the inner arcuate grooved wall of said container.

4. The brush scraper and support device as defined in claim 1 having a bracing arm extending centrally from the scraper blade an integral therewith.

5. The brush scraper and support device as defined in claim 1 having a bracing arm extending centrally from the scraper blade and pivotally secured thereto.

'6. The scraper plate and brush support as defined in claim 1 wherein the vertical scraping edge has one end portion extending vertically upward as a support and a brush holding means thereon, a brush holding arm having its inner end pivotally secured near the top of said raised portion, said brush-holding arm having its outer end bent to a brush supporting loop, the top of said raised brushsupporting portion of said plate extending laterally on both sides of said pivot to form a shoulder intercepting said bent brush-supporting arm as a stop in brush supporting position with the loop extending over the open container in one pivot position and to the outside of said container in an alternate pivot position.

7. The device as defined in claim 6 wherein the brushsupporting portion extends horizontally laterally on both sides of the pivot position of said brush-holding arm to provide horizontal shoulder portions intercepting the pivotal movement of said brush-holding arm to support the said arm as stops in alternate positions on opposite sides of said pivot whereby the brush holder has its brushholding loop stopped in position to support a brush therein over the open top of said grooved container and in alternate pivotal position to hold said brush outside of said container.

8. The brush scraper and bolder device as defined in claim 6 wherein the brush holder comprises a plurality of alternate loops whereby to separately support another brush in each loop.

9. A brush holder and scraping device comprising an angle iron mounted with one flange horizontally disposed to present its open edge as a brush scraping edge, and its other flange integral therewith turned vertically downward therefrom, said vertical flange being at its ends dimensioned and shaped to engage and grip the arcuate grooved edge of an open top cylindrical container 6 firmly for support of said scraping element as a chord thereacross, said horizontal flange having one end extending in container-mounted position beyond the edge of said container and shaped into forked arms as a brush holder.

10. A brush holder and scraping device as defined in claim 9 wherein the scraping edge of said horizontal flange continues into an arcuately curved portion lying in the plane of said flange and adapted as a scraping element for an end of said brush whereby both a side and edge of a brush may be simultaneously scraped.

11. The brush holder as defined in claim 9 wherein one of the jaws of the yoke is adjustable to adjust the space therebetween.

12. A brush scraping and support device comprising an elongated angle iron body adapted for mounting as a chord extending across a portion of the circumference of a grooved open top container, means at each end of said angle iron, and associated with one flange of said angle iron, forming a shoulder bearing laterally against an inner annular groove wall of said container, a bracing arm extending normal from about the center of one of the said flanges of said angle iron to intercept the arcuate grooved edge of said container, clamping means on the ouoter end of said bracing arm adapted to resiliently engage the annular edge of said container and clamp the assembly to said container, one of said flanges of the angle iron body, near one end thereof, extending substantially above the elongated angle iron body above the grooved edge of said container as a brush-holder support, and brush-holding means pivotally secured to the upper end of said brush-holder support, said support extending laterally near its top providing stop shoulders for securing said brush-holder means in alternate pivotal positions whereby to provide alternate brush support postions above the open top of said container and outside of said container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 419,585 1/1890 Crapo 211 955,646 4/ 1910 Jorey 21l65 1,575,416 3/1926 Deman 248-110 2,606,689 8/1952 Kistner 248-113 2,621,829 12/1952 Bock 220- 2,803,374 8/1957 Cash 220-90 2,837,256 6/ 1958 Daner 220--90 2,943,761 7/ 1960 Monier 22090 3,133,668 5/1964 Heise 220-90 FOREIGN PATENTS 576,809 6/ 1959 Canada.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Examiner. 

1. A BRUSH SCRAPING AND SUPPORT ELEMENT COMPRISING AN ANGLE IRON ADAPTED FOR OPEN ANGLE MOUNTING AS A CHORD ACROSS THE GROOVED EDGE OF AN OPEN CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER WITH THE VERTICAL FLANGE OF SAID ANGLE IRON PRESENTING A BRUSH SCRAPING EDGE IN MOUNTED POSITION, SAID BRUSH SCARPING EDGE CONTINUING INTO AN ARCUATELY CURVED PORTION LYING IN THE PLANE OF SAID VERTICAL FLANGE AND DISPOSED NEAR ONE SIDE, SAID ARCUATE PORTION BEING ADAPTED FOR A SCARPING ELEMENT AT AN END OF THE BRUSH WHEREBY BOTH A SIDE AND END OF THE BRUSH MAY BE SIMULTANEOUSLY SCRAPED, AND THE HORIZONTAL FLANGE, INTEGRAL WITH SAID VERTICAL FLANGE, BEING ADAPTED TO LIE IN THE OPEN TOP PLANE OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID ANGLE IRON HAVING ITS END DIMENSIONED AND SHAPED AND HAVING A BRACING ARM EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY FROM THE SCRAPER BLADE, TO FIRMLY GRIP THE ARCUATE EDGE OF SAID CONTAINER FOR FIRM SUPPORT. 